Report from Councillor Wendy Stewart: April 2000

New Police Chief Appointed

After conducting a national search to fill the position, the
Ottawa-Carleton Police Services Board has announced the appointment of
Vince Bevan as our new Police Chief. Since joining the Ottawa-Carleton
Service two years ago, Mr. Bevan has played a key role in implementing
community policing which has included deploying more police officers on
the streets. He has also established a strong relationship with the Police
Assoc.

The new Chief will be called upon to manage the third largest police
force in the province, with an operating budget of $131 million and
employing a staff of 1,469.

OC Transpo Ridership Still Climbing

The trend of year-over-year ridership increases has continued for the
fourteenth month in a row, with February climbing to 6.5% over last year's
February numbers. With January's 3.2% increase, the ridership to date is
4.8% over last year's first two months. On the revenue side, we are in a
good position with $68,000 over budget for the first two months of 2000.

Transit Summit 2000

Public transportation is essential to the health and economic
well-being of people living in Canadian urban centres. In the Ottawa
area, transit ridership is increasing, but rapid growth and development in
the suburban areas means more pressure to expand services and develop the
infrastructure needed to serve transit users. Pressing environmental
issues, including deteriorating air quality and climate change, highlight
the need for a strong public transit system.

Transit Summit 2000 is a public forum on Transit and Transportation
Issues to be held at the Ottawa-Carleton Centre, 111 Lisgar Street, on
Monday, April 10, 2000, from 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. The goal of Transit Summit
2000 is to focus attention on public transit in the Ottawa area. The forum
is presented by Pollution Probe, Canadian Urban Transit Association and
the Region of Ottawa-Carleton, and sponsored by Environment Canada and
Transport Canada. Admission is free.

Compost Distribution Initiatives

The leaf and yard waste that the Region collects from curbside
households is delivered to our Trail Road Facility. The continued
conversion of this material into compost saves landfill space and protects
local soil resources. This year it is anticipated that over 14,000 tonnes
of finished compost will be available for distribution. This compost is an
excellent soil amendment - it improves soil structure and reduces
requirements for water, fertilizer and pesticides.

“U Bag It” is a pilot compost self-serve program set to begin at the
Trail Waste Facility on April 29 (9:00 a.m., to 4:00 p.m.). Residents are
requested to bring their own containers, trailers or pickup trucks to
package, load and purchase small amounts of compost. Prices will be $2 for
containers up to a blue box or garbage bag in size, $4 for a garbage can
sized container, and $10 for a pickup truck or utility trailer.

Bagged compost will also be available for sale on a trial basis. Each
bag weighs 18 kg and can be purchased for $3.50 (including tax). The bags
of compost will be available at the Trail Waste Facility. They can also be
purchased at the Trim Road Household Special Waste Mobile Depot to be held
on May 6th, and Lansdowne Park in conjunction with the tree giveaway
(below).

If you are one of the 7000 residents who ordered a tree through the
“Plant for Tomorrow” program last fall, you will receive a complete “Tree
Kit” that includes one 18 kg bag of compost and a bag of woodchips (from
1998 Ice Storm). The tree distribution will take place between April 22
and May 6.

Community groups and non-profit organizations who want compost will be
charged $10/tonne; however, the hauling fee will be waived. Please contact
my office for further details.

Garbage and Recycling Calendar Distribution

The updated calendars for the collection of garbage, recyclable
material and leaf & yard waste have now been distributed by Canada Post.
The 2000-20001 calendar features helpful graphics on Black Box/Blue Box
materials, information on the use and sale of items recycled, as well as a
colour-coded wall calendar illustrating the different collection weeks.
This information is also available on the Regional Website - which
includes a search feature for accessing calendar zones by street names.

Tougher No-Smoking By-laws

The City of Ottawa has joined Nepean and Kanata in passing tougher
no-smoking by-laws for public places such as restaurants, bars, bowling
alleys, bingo halls, billiard halls and lobbies. Ottawa's decision is
contingent on regional government stating its position on the matter. This
issue is expected to come forward to the Region's Community Service
Committee on May 18, 2000 at 1:30 p.m. Note: The by-law is not to be
enacted until May 31, 2001.

The Region's Medical Officer of Health is urging the remaining
municipalities to seriously discuss strengthening their no-smoking rules
in public places and in workplaces. Dr. Robert Cushman, asserts that
second-hand smoke is harmful. Objective research has found that no-smoking
by-laws make good business sense and that the public wants and deserves
the best protection possible.

I would appreciate hearing your opinions on this issue.

Ontario TimeShip 2000 Millennium Exhibition

The province of Ontario's flagship millennium project, Ontario
TimeShip 2000 will be in Ottawa from May 19th to 22nd in the Aberdeen
Pavilion at Lansdowne Park, hosted by the Region of Ottawa-Carleton.

This exhibition is a collaborative effort of the Ontario Science
Centre, the Royal Ontario Museum and Science North. Ontario TimeShip 200
is a free, family-oriented travelling exhibition that will tour the
province from May to October of this year. The exhibition will educate
visitors on Ontario's past and future, explore time and all of its
dimensions through interactive displays and objects, live demonstrations
and a multimedia theatre presentation.

NCC Unveils Planning Concept for Core

In March, the National Capital Commission released its planning concept
for the core of Canada's Capital Region- the centre of cultural, retail
and business activities. This is the second phase of a three phase
planning process that began with a Vision document in 1998. Detailed
sector plans, to be initiated later this year, will mark the third
phase.

The consultation process for the planning concept will proceed from
March to June of this year. Presentations will be made to interest groups
and municipal Councils, documents will be available in local libraries,
and open houses will be held in Ottawa (April 11) and Hull (April 12).

There are seven proposals for the core area, including: The York Steps
(completed in the early summer of 1999); The redevelopment of LeBreton
Flats; The Victoria and Chaudiere Islands; The revitalization of Sparks
Street; The connection to Gatineau Park; The extension of Bank Street; and
The future of the industrial lands in Hull.

For further information, please call NCC Info at 239-5555.

Conference on Urban Diversity: Managing Multicultural Cities

RMOC, in conjunction with the Department of Canadian Heritage, marked
International Day for the Fight Against Racism by sponsoring a conference
on urban diversity. Participants examined how cities are being transformed
by the growing diversity and focussed on ways to assess the importance of
this information on urban planning.

Thanks to Andrei Grushman and Jim Hornsby of the Quinterra-Riverwood
Community Association for representing River Ward at this forum. Both
gentlemen have been working within their community to represent a range of
issues resulting from the Tubman Funeral Home proposal for the former
Fine's Flowers site on Riverside Drive.

Development and Proposals Underway in River Ward (April 2000)

1. Central Park/Ashcroft/Clyde Avenue Holdings: Merivale Road;
current status -
(a) Site Plan Control Proposal -Scout St/Whitestone Dr. Ashcroft Homes
proposes to construct 94 townhouses similar to existing townhouses to the
east of site. Approval targeted for June 2, 2000.

2. 882 Fisher Avenue: The purpose of the zoning amendment is to
legalize the existing two-story triplex which has been in existence for
approxi- mately 40 years.